HUNTINGDON — While their Football Bowl Subdivision Division I counterparts kicked off this past weekend, Division II and III teams, like Juniata, Lock Haven and Shippensburg spring into action on Friday and Saturday.

With a few local athletes sprinkled on their rosters, each of those programs has high hopes for the upcoming campaign. Here’s a glance at each one:

JUNIATA EAGLES

Coming off an 2-8 overall campaign, including a 1-5 record in the Landmark Conference, Division III Juniata hopes to soar to new heights this fall. The Eagles look to make a statement on the road with a Friday night contest with a trip to Gettysburg College for a 7 p.m. tilt.

In fact, Juniata has three road contests in four weeks to open the season. After the Eagles welcome Allegheny to Huntingdon on Saturday, Sept. 13, for a 1 p.m. kickoff, the road-heavy stretch continues with visits to McDaniel on Sept. 20 then College of New Jersey on Sept. 27.

Third-year head coach Blake Treadwell hopes these non-conference clashes provide key opportunities for his squad to build momentum heading into league play.

The conference slate begins on Oct. 4 as the Eagles hosts WestConn in a first-ever meeting with their new league foe. After an Oct. 11 trip to face Catholic University, Juniata returns home for one of the most anticipated games of the year on Oct. 18 against nationally-ranked Susquehanna.

The final stretch of the schedule includes one final road trip to Wilkes University on Nov. 1 and home dates against Moravian on Nov. 8 and regular-season finale with Lycoming on Nov. 15.

The Eagles suit up with four familiar faces this year with junior Makih Hunt, a 6-2, 210-pound tight end who played for Juniata High School; former Mount Union Area High School standout Naiym Francis, a 5-9, 150-pound freshman wide receiver; and the pair of Midd-West High School products Carter Sauer and Parker Boop. A senior, Carter is a 6-0, 291-pound offensive lineman, while Boop, a freshman, is a 6-4, 272-pound defensive lineman.

LOCK HAVEN

BALD EAGLES

Division II Lock Haven opens the season on Saturday by hosting Glenville State University. It marks the third meeting between the two schools since 2008. In 2024, Lock Haven took down GSU on the road, 31-9 behind a dominating ground attack that ran for more than 100 yards.

The Bald Eagles will follow their home opener with a two-game road trip beginning on Sept. 13 at Indiana (Pa.) before visiting California (Pa.) on Sept. 20. Lock Haven returns home on Sept. 27 to host East Stroudsburg, before hitting the road to take on Bloomsburg on Oct. 4.

The Bald Eagles remaining home schedule features Kutztown on Oct. 11, West Chester on Oct. 18, Shepherd on Nov. 8 and Gannon on Nov. 15. The meeting against West Chester on Oct. 18 is Lock Haven’s Homecoming Game, while the showdown with Gannon on Nov. 15 is Senior Day.

The Haven’s remaining road schedule features Shippensburg on Oct. 25 and Millersville on Nov. 1 for first-year Lock Haven head coach Joe Battaglia, who was named to the post on April 15.

Since taking over offensive-play calling duties for the Bald Eagles in 2022, Battaglia has turned Lock Haven’s offense into one of the most prolific in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, both through the air and on the ground.

In 2024, quarterback Jackson Ostrowsky finished the season with 3,203 passing yards, 291.18 passing yards-per-game and 27 passing-touchdowns, all of which led the PSAC. All of those marks also stand as Lock Haven single-season passing records.

All-American wide receiver T’iar Young won the PSAC receiving triple crown after earning the top marks in receiving yards (1,146), receiving yards-per-game (104.2) and receiving touchdowns (11).

According to the Bald Eagles’ website, there aren’t any area players on their roster this season.

SHIPPENSBURG RAIDERS

Coming off a disappointing 2-9 season, including a 2-6 mark in the PSAC, Division II Shippensburg looks to right the ship this season under 16th year head coach Mark Maciejewski.

Mifflin County fans will keep one eye on the Raiders’ box score for No. 18 as the Huskies’ four-year letterwinner Cyrell Green landed in Shippensburg after a stellar high school career.

Green, a 5-10, 175-pound wide receiver from Lewistown, was a first-team all-Mid Penn Conference selection as a senior, who racked up 34 receptions for 698 yards.

Shippensburg opens at home against Bowie State on Saturday, before making a pair of road trips to Clarion on Sept. 13 and Slippery Rock on Sept. 20.

On Sept. 27, the Raiders host Bloomsburg for Family Day before sandwiching a home game with Millersville on Oct. 11 around road games at Kutztown on Oct. 4 and East Stroudsburg on Oct. 18.

Shippensburg ends its season with three of its final four games at home, with Lock Haven on Oct. 25, which is also Homecoming; West Chester on Nov. 8 and California (Pa.) for Senior day on Nov. 15. The lone road date is with Shepherd on Nov. 1.